Syllabus for 9/10 through 9/14

YOUR COLLEGE ESSAY WILL be the first, graded writing assignment (though the graded components will be the writing conference and the revision of the first draft). This week we will analyze Campbell's "hero-journey" or mono-myth in greater depth, and will begin reading our first text, The Alchemist by Paul Coehlo. You should have this book by the start of next week, and any edition will do, so long as it isn't annotated yet.

MONDAY

  • No school for Rosh Hashanah. 

  • HW: Finish reading the handout that provides students an overview of the college application essay process (passed out in class last Friday).

TUESDAY

  • Returning to the college application essays. We will start each day with a brainstorming exercise, using the three principles (a. write constantly; b. avoid censoring; c. change topics as needed). Examining one sample essay, and the additional advice from other colleges. 

  • HW: Last week, you watched part one of the Moyers-Campbell interviews, The Power of Myth. This link will take you to a transcript of that interview, and is material you will be responsible for. Review this tonight, and I will answer any questions and provide clarification as needed, in class tomorrow.

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

  • Journal writing about self. Then discussing Campbell's ideas about departure, including watching several examples from films (the "call to adventure," a stage that Hollywood has particularly embraced).

  • HW: Continue reading from The Hero with 1,000 Faces, the chapter on "Departure."

FRIDAY

  • Finishing our lecture from yesterday, looking at the opening of The Blues Brothers and Finding Nemo.

  • HW: Reading this last part of the chapter. A link to a pdf is here. Please print it prior to reading, circling vocabulary words, and writing your questions in the margins. The link is here.

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